-10 issue in OrderGuide

srayani · Wednesday

Hello All,

Currently I'm having an issue. In onboarding order guide I'm seeing the state is -10 before approval. Once approved automatically moving to state open. Anyone faced this issue before? or is it expected behavior? why?

Connectmustaq · Wednesday

Hi @srayani ,

Yes — the behavior you’re describing (state = –10 before approval, then moving to Open once approved) is expected with ServiceNow’s catalog/onboarding order guides, especially when approvals are enabled on requests or request items.

Here’s why this happens:

1. The meaning of state = –10

When a request (sc_request) or its requested items (sc_req_item) are created through an onboarding order guide, they are stored in the Requested Item table (sc_req_item).
Before approvals occur, ServiceNow assigns a temporary negative state value –10 which represents “Pending Approval” or “Approval Requested.”
This value exists because the item has not yet transitioned into an active fulfillment state.
ServiceNow uses negative state codes internally to indicate “pre‑fulfillment” states — for example:
- –5 = Draft
- –10 = Awaiting Approval
- 0 or 1 = Approved/Open/Work In Progress
These numerical codes are defined behind the scenes in the Choice list for field = state on the sc_req_item table.

2. Why the state changes automatically to Open

Once the associated approval workflow finishes and managers approve the item:

The system transitions the request item through state flows configured for that table.
The approval engine triggers either the Service Catalog Request Workflows or Service Catalog Fulfillment process, which automatically updates the state to Open (value = 1) to signal that the item can move into fulfillment.

This transition is handled by:

The Workflow or Flow Designer process attached to your order guide,
Or the out‑of‑box business rule “Catalog Item Workflow” that sets the new state and launches fulfillment once approvals are complete.

3. Why Onboarding Order Guides behave this way

In onboarding order guides, multiple catalog items (laptop, access, ID, etc.) are bundled together in a top‑level request (REQ).
Each individual item (RITM) inherits its initial Pending Approval state (–10) until its approvals complete.
After approval:

The parent order (REQ) and individual RITMs transition to Open,
Then fulfillment tasks (SCTASKs) begin

So, what you’re seeing is part of the standard state flow:

Draft (–5) → Awaiting Approval (–10) → Open (1) → Work In Progress → Closed

4. When to investigate

It is worth reviewing your setup only if:

The item stays at –10 even after all approvals are approved (workflow misfire); or
Your onboarding flow uses a custom state model that doesn’t align with the default Service Catalog state flow.

Otherwise, the state = –10 before approval and automatic transition to Open after approval is normal and intended behavior per ServiceNow’s catalog request lifecycle.

you may find below thread helpful:

-10 issue in OrderGuide

Hi @srayani ,

Yes — the behavior you’re describing (state = –10 before approval, then moving to Open once approved) is expected with ServiceNow’s catalog/onboarding order guides, especially when approvals are enabled on requests or request items.

Here’s why this happens:

1. The meaning of state = –10

When a request (sc_request) or its requested items (sc_req_item) are created through an onboarding order guide, they are stored in the Requested Item table (sc_req_item).

Before approvals occur, ServiceNow assigns a temporary negative state value –10 which represents “Pending Approval” or “Approval Requested.”
This value exists because the item has not yet transitioned into an active fulfillment state.

2. Why the state changes automatically to Open

Once the associated approval workflow finishes and managers approve the item:

The system transitions the request item through state flows configured for that table.

The approval engine triggers either the Service Catalog Request Workflows or Service Catalog Fulfillment process, which automatically updates the state to Open (value = 1) to signal that the item can move into fulfillment.

This transition is handled by:

The Workflow or Flow Designer process attached to your order guide,

Or the out‑of‑box business rule “Catalog Item Workflow” that sets the new state and launches fulfillment once approvals are complete.

3. Why Onboarding Order Guides behave this way

In onboarding order guides, multiple catalog items (laptop, access, ID, etc.) are bundled together in a top‑level request (REQ).
Each individual item (RITM) inherits its initial Pending Approval state (–10) until its approvals complete.
After approval:

The parent order (REQ) and individual RITMs transition to Open,

Then fulfillment tasks (SCTASKs) begin

So, what you’re seeing is part of the standard state flow:

Draft (–5) → Awaiting Approval (–10) → Open (1) → Work In Progress → Closed

4. When to investigate

It is worth reviewing your setup only if:

The item stays at –10 even after all approvals are approved (workflow misfire); or

Your onboarding flow uses a custom state model that doesn’t align with the default Service Catalog state flow.

Otherwise, the state = –10 before approval and automatic transition to Open after approval is normal and intended behavior per ServiceNow’s catalog request lifecycle.

If it is helpful, please hit the thumbs button and accept the correct solution by referring to this solution in the future it will be helpful to them.

Thanks & Regards,

Mohammed Mustaq Shaik - ServiceNow Consultant - Lets connect on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaik-mohammed-mustaq-43ab63238/

-10 issue in OrderGuide

Hi @srayani ,

Yes — the behavior you’re describing (state = –10 before approval, then moving to Open once approved) is expected with ServiceNow’s catalog/onboarding order guides, especially when approvals are enabled on requests or request items.

Here’s why this happens:

1. The meaning of state = –10

When a request (sc_request) or its requested items (sc_req_item) are created through an onboarding order guide, they are stored in the Requested Item table (sc_req_item).

Before approvals occur, ServiceNow assigns a temporary negative state value –10 which represents “Pending Approval” or “Approval Requested.”This value exists because the item has not yet transitioned into an active fulfillment state.

2. Why the state changes automatically to Open

Once the associated approval workflow finishes and managers approve the item:

The system transitions the request item through state flows configured for that table.

The approval engine triggers either the Service Catalog Request Workflows or Service Catalog Fulfillment process, which automatically updates the state to Open (value = 1) to signal that the item can move into fulfillment.​

This transition is handled by:

The Workflow or Flow Designer process attached to your order guide,

Or the out‑of‑box business rule “Catalog Item Workflow” that sets the new state and launches fulfillment once approvals are complete.

3. Why Onboarding Order Guides behave this way

In onboarding order guides, multiple catalog items (laptop, access, ID, etc.) are bundled together in a top‑level request (REQ).Each individual item (RITM) inherits its initial Pending Approval state (–10) until its approvals complete.After approval:

The parent order (REQ) and individual RITMs transition to Open,

Then fulfillment tasks (SCTASKs) begin

So, what you’re seeing is part of the standard state flow:

Draft (–5) → Awaiting Approval (–10) → Open (1) → Work In Progress → Closed

4. When to investigate

It is worth reviewing your setup only if:

The item stays at –10 even after all approvals are approved (workflow misfire); or

Your onboarding flow uses a custom state model that doesn’t align with the default Service Catalog state flow.

Otherwise, the state = –10 before approval and automatic transition to Open after approval is normal and intended behavior per ServiceNow’s catalog request lifecycle.

If it is helpful, please hit the thumbs button and accept the correct solution by referring to this solution in the future it will be helpful to them.

Thanks & Regards,

Mohammed Mustaq Shaik - ServiceNow Consultant - Lets connect on Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaik-mohammed-mustaq-43ab63238/

Yes — the behavior you’re describing (state = –10 before approval, then moving to Open once approved) is expected with ServiceNow’s catalog/onboarding order guides, especially when approvals are enabled on requests or request items.

1. The meaning of state = –10

Before approvals occur, ServiceNow assigns a temporary negative state value –10 which represents “Pending Approval” or “Approval Requested.”
This value exists because the item has not yet transitioned into an active fulfillment state.

The approval engine triggers either the Service Catalog Request Workflows or Service Catalog Fulfillment process, which automatically updates the state to Open (value = 1) to signal that the item can move into fulfillment.

In onboarding order guides, multiple catalog items (laptop, access, ID, etc.) are bundled together in a top‑level request (REQ).
Each individual item (RITM) inherits its initial Pending Approval state (–10) until its approvals complete.
After approval:

Otherwise, the state = –10 before approval and automatic transition to Open after approval is normal and intended behavior per ServiceNow’s catalog request lifecycle.